Metallica's James Hetfield has denied that the video for the band's new single, 'The Day That Never Comes', makes any political statement about war. Directed by Danish director Thomas Vinterberg, the video follows a soldier who helps an injured comrade and then has to decide whether or not to kill someone else who he suspects may be a suicide bomber.
Hetfield told MTV: "The main [theme of the video] is the human element of forgiveness and someone doing you wrong, you feeling resentment and you being able to see through that in the next situation that might be similar and not take your rage or resentment out on the next person and basically keep spreading the disease of that through life. The one thing that I wasn't keen on here was Metallica plugging into a modern war or a current event [that] might be construed as some sort of political statement on our part. There are so many celebrities that soapbox their opinions, and people believe it's more valid because they're popular. For us, people are people – you should all have your own opinion. We are hopefully putting the human element in what is an unfortunate part of life. There are people over there dealing with situations like this, and we're showing the human part of being there".